Snowflakes In The Dark

28: Shopping Chaos and Mending Cracks

Morana was trapped. There was no other word for it. The girls had successfully corralled her into a store called Shimmering Apparel, a high-end boutique dripping with luxury and the latest trending brands. The sleek, modern interior gleamed with polished mirrors, soft lighting, and rows upon rows of elegant outfits that screamed, "You do not belong here."

Morana stood frozen in the middle of the store, her arms awkwardly weighed down by a growing mountain of clothes Lucy and Aspen were relentlessly piling onto her. Each dress, blouse, or jacket they tossed her way seemed to worsen the sickening knot forming in her stomach. The Ice Dragon Slayer, who could face down terrifying enemies without flinching, was now at the mercy of fabric and fashion. She was motionless, her icy exterior cracking only enough to show the barest flicker of distress in her otherwise emotionless gaze.

Even the store employees had taken notice, casting nervous glances at the scene unfolding. There was something off about the tall, stoic woman with the pile of clothes threatening to bury her. They could feel the tension radiating from her as if they were waiting for her to snap—perhaps freeze the entire store in a fit of icy rebellion.

"Try this one next!" Lucy chirped, holding up a shimmering dress that glittered like fresh snow under the shop's lights.

Morana's only response was a deathly silent stare, her fingers stiffly gripping the fabric she already held, as if she were clinging to the last vestiges of her dignity.

Meanwhile, the guys were suffering through their own kind of torture—boredom. Natsu looked like he was on the verge of a meltdown, pacing in circles with his arms crossed, a permanent scowl etched onto his face.

"Why are we even here?" he groaned, loud enough for the entire store to hear. "This is the worst thing ever!"

Kai, on the other hand, was glued to Aspen's side, dutifully following her around the store. He was carrying a small pile of clothes himself, offering soft, encouraging comments whenever Aspen picked out something new. "This one will look amazing on you," he said with a soft smile, his eyes alight with genuine admiration. Clearly, his idea of a shopping trip was very different from Natsu's.

Gray, as usual, was in his own world, half browsing the racks, half losing his clothes. By the time he reached the end of one aisle, his jacket was mysteriously gone. At the next aisle, his shirt had vanished as well, leaving him casually examining a scarf display while completely unaware that he was down to just his pants.

Happy hovered above Natsu, snickering at the scene below. "Aye, Natsu, maybe you should ask Morana for help with the heat," he teased, watching with glee as the fire dragon slayer stewed in his frustration.

"Why would I need help? I'm fire—I don't need to cool off!" Natsu grumbled, glaring at Morana, who was too busy being buried under clothes to respond.

Aspen approached, holding up a flowy sundress and beaming at Morana. "Please, Sugarbear! Just try it on for me!" Her voice was sweet, her eyes wide with hope.

Morana blinked, momentarily frozen in place, staring down at Aspen's bright, pleading face. Between Lucy's enthusiasm, Aspen's gentle persistence, and Erza's silent but unyielding presence hovering nearby, she realized with a sinking feeling that there was no escape. Not today.

With a heavy sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world, she gave in. "Fine. But this is the last one," she muttered, though none of the girls seemed to believe her. They exchanged gleeful smiles and handed her yet another armful of clothes, leaving Morana to accept her fate with a grim sense of defeat.

As she trudged toward the dressing rooms, Natsu slumped against a nearby wall, his hands on his head. "This is worse than fighting Erza..." he grumbled, and Gray, now completely shirtless, nodded absentmindedly in agreement as he examined a particularly stylish belt.